Lions Club 2011 Food Appeal is a huge success

Around 325 food hampers were delivered all over the county last Sunday courtesy of the Cavan Lions Club in what was a record Christmas appeal for the local charity. "We would like to thank all of the volunteers. We received tremendous support and the spirit of giving is still very much alive in Cavan. We had a fantastic response and we are thrilled," the secretary of the club, Tony Finlay, told The Anglo-Celt this week. At least 50 volunteers were involved in this year's appeal, which saw the hampers valued at between €80 and €100 each delivered directly to houses and also through charities countywide such as the St Vincent de Paul and MABS (Money Advice and Budgeting Services). The hampers include a gammon, two packets of rashers, two pounds of sausages, burgers, sweets, biscuits and some non perishible food items. Volunteers collected at three supermarkets in Cavan town on Thursday, Friday and Saturday with the hampers put together in the Scouts Den on Railway Road on Saturday evening and delivered across the county on Sunday. "It was a mammoth task," said Mr Finlay who also extended his thanks to the boyscouts and also the Butlersbridge Foróige Club who helped to put the hampers together. Despite the economic recession, the Lions Club managed to deliver 325 hampers, up from 290 last year. Requests for help this year were also at a record high, according to Mr Finlay, with most requests coming through charities such as the SVP but also through priests, nurses, social workers and different organisations. "The new poor are very shy about coming forward to ask for anything," explained Mr Finlay. He was delighted that the Cavan Lions Club was able to respond to all the calls for help it had received and was preparing to deal with some last minute emergency appeals this week. Thanking once again all the volunteers and those who contributed to the food appeal, Mr Finlay wished everybody a happy Christmas on behalf of the Cavan Lions Club.